Background

Since its inception the UNDP Adaptation Learning Mechanism (ALM) has been an essential part of UNDP’s strategy for sharing knowledge about climate change adaptation. Initially designed to be a repository of information about climate change adaptation projects and resources, the ALM has evolved to become an online hub for showcasing the important work UNDP is doing on climate change adaptation. Through this process of evolution, however, the site has become more difficult for users to navigate and locate the information they need, for example:

  • Several important programmes, such as the NAP-LDC programme, are buried deep in the site and are difficult for users to find;
  • The most important pages are not easily accessible from the homepage; users need to browse through several layers of menus and pages to find what they are looking for;
  • It is difficult to showcase innovative and engaging content, such as videos and photo essays, which have been developed alongside UNDP’s climate change adaptation programmes;
  • UNDP’s climate change adaptation programmes are set to expand in the coming year, but the UNDP ALM is not configured to support peer-to-peer knowledge exchange.

There is an opportunity to review the structure of the UNDP ALM and improve the user interface and to add additional functionality required to support the climate change adaptation programme’s knowledge sharing objectives as it expands.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objective

This assignment is to:

  • provide a clear overview of the site’s sections and content on the homepage to engage users and increase retention;
  • improve the menu system to make it easier for users to navigate through the site. In particular, the menu items should have labels and descriptions that are easier for users to understand and users should be able to navigate to important pages in the site with fewer clicks;
  • rebrand the site to make its purpose clearer to visitors;
  • provide website maintenance;
  • extend behavior/functionality to make it easier for consultants and contractors to share their knowledge about climate change adaptation programming through the ALM by adding workflows to support virtual communities of practice discussion forums and share information about upcoming events.

Scope of work

Web Asset Management:

  • Assess suitability of existing web-hosting services and provide recommendations for optimizing webhosting;
  • Maintain and administer Linux-based web hosting or virtual web hosting service, including maintenance of backups, file system, services and security to maximize performance and minimize interruption to web services;
  • Manage portfolio of domains and liaise with registrar and/or intermediaries to ensure registrations are kept up-to-date, manage new registrations and update domain configuration as necessary;
  • Update and maintain additional web sites/assets that are hosted by UNDP-GEF/Climate Change Adaptation;
  • Liaise with developers and maintainers of web assets that are owned, but not managed by UNDP-GEF/Climate Change Adaptation;
  • Securely maintain an up-to-date central record of user account details for UNDP-GEF/Climate Change Adaptation web resources, services and subscriptions;
  • Track renewal dates of all subscription services owned by UNDP-GEF/Climate Change Adaptation to ensure uninterrupted continuity.

Advisory Services and technical support:

  • Provide technical support (telephone/Skype/email), documentation and training to users of UNDP-GEF/Climate Change Adaptation web assets;
  • Research and recommend optimal solutions for web-based knowledge sharing, communications and information/media management;
  • Explore feasibility of suggested extensions to UNDP-GEF/Climate Change Adaptation owned web assets;
  • Assist in development of project scope, TORs and procurement of contractors for projects/work that might be outsourced to third-parties by UNDP-GEF/Climate Change Adaptation.

Adaptation Learning Mechanism (ALM) Refresh

Task 1  : Consultation

Clarify refresh objective : Agreement by key stakeholders on priorities and objectives of the ALM refresh;

Storyboards : A rough diagram of how users will navigate through the site;

Wireframes: Rough diagrams of the elements and content that will appear on the site’s pages:

  • Header section of all pages;
  • Footer section of all pages;
  • Home page;
  • Signature Programmes page;
  • Individual Programme landing page (eg. NAP-LDC);
  • Individual Programme sub-pages;
  • News landing page;
  • News item page;
  • Events landing page;
  • Event landing page;
  • Resoures landing page;
  • Resource page;
  • Knowledge Exchange landing page.

Graphical User Interface design fundamentals: Agreement reached on logos, colours, fonts, icons, textures/images.

Task 2: Design

Interactive mockups (Axure) : Interactive mockups approved for site’s main pages.

Task: Build

Configure Drupal CMS for new features/behavior

  • Create and configure additional content types for news items, events and discussion forums;
  • Configure menus;
  • Create and configure new Drupal views for required blocks and page.

Build new Drupal theme

  • create/override Drupal theme functions;
  • add jQuery libraries;
  • write code for custom UI behavior (javascript);
  • write CSS stylesheets.

Task 4 : Testing

Cross-browser and device testing complete ready for launch : Site compatible with recent releases of Firefox, Safari (iOS and OSX), Chrome and IE (9+).

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

Web Asset Management

All web assets hosted in an optimal environment with no interruptions due to preventable causes.

Advisory Services and Technical Support

UNDP-GEF/Climate Change Adaptation stakeholders have access to timely support required to make decisions about web-based knowledge sharing, communications and information/data/media management.

Adaptation Learning Mechanism

ALM reconfigured and redesigned according to UNDP branding guidelines.

  • Improved backend architecture and front-end user experience to facilitate user access to resources in the ALM;
  • Integrated support for showcasing multimedia and public content;
  • Designed to facilitate transfer of technical knowledge and competency/skills between government counterparts, intergovernmental (bilateral and multilateral) agencies, NGOs and other stakeholders.

Extensible architecture

  • Will allow for the provision of integrated sub-sites or project pages that may have unique custom branding and structural requirements;
  • Aspects of site that inhibit flexibility will be refactored to allow for greater flexibility and responsiveness to needs of programme counterparts.

Interoperability

  • Integration with existing data stores, public APIs.

Institutional Arrangement

The incumbent will report to Head of Climate Change Adaptation (Global) or his designate as directed. S/he is also expected to liaise with HQ, regional centres and relevant consultants as well as other related UN agencies, intergovernmental organizations, bilateral agencies, NGOs and other types of organizations as necessary.

Review Time: 2 weeks.

Duration of the Work: 11 May 2015 – 15 April 2016 (up to 130 working days).

Duty station:  Home-based with possible mission. Travel will be compensated according with prevailing UNDP rules and regulations, and will be approved/agreed prior to travel. 

Competencies

  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
  • Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities skills;
  • Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
  • Ability to plan, organize, implement and report on work;
  • Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines;
  • Comprehensiveness knowledge of Information Technology;
  • Proficiency in the use of office IT applications and internet in conducting research;
  • Outstanding communication, project management and organizational skills;
  • Excellent presentation and facilitation skills;
  • Demonstrates integrity and ethical standards;
  • Positive, constructive attitude to work;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Required Skills and Experience

Educational Qualifications:

  • Master’s degree in information technology, development, economics or related field.

Experience:

  • At least two years of experience in developing and maintaining Drupal deployments, PHP or MySql preferably;
  • Successfully completed web development projects including the strategy to increase membership, an email driven e-Discussion platform and online applications to store and analyse information;
  • Knowledge of CSS, XHTML, JavaScript/jQuery, and Ajax an advantage;
  • Dedication to UN principles and knowledge of overarching goals with prior experience working with UNDP or UN an asset.

Language requirements:

  • Good command of English required (full fluency), especially writing skills.

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

Consultant must send a financial proposal based on Daily Fee. Consultant shall quote an all-inclusive Daily Fee for the contract period. The term “all-inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, communications, consumables, etc.) that could be incurred by the IC in completing the assignment are already factored into the daily fee submitted in the proposal. If applicable, travel or daily allowance cost (if any work is to be done outside the IC’s duty station) should be identified separately. Payments shall be done on a monthly basis based on actual days worked, upon verification of completion of deliverables and approval by the IC’s supervisor of a Time Sheet indicating the days worked in the period.

In general, UNDP shall not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.

In the event of unforeseeable travel not anticipated in this TOR, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and the Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

Evaluation Method and Criteria

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology

Cumulative analysis

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as a) responsive/compliant/acceptable; and b) having received the highest score out of set of weighted technical criteria (70%). and financial criteria (30%). Financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal received by UNDP for the assignment.

Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 500 points)

  • Criteria 1 : Experience related to services- Max 200 points;
  • Criteria 2 : Expertise and Availability- Max 300 points.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Documentation required

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Please group them into one (1) single PDF document as the application only allows to upload maximum one document:

  • Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided in Annex 2.;
  • Personal CV and P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references;
  • Financial proposal, (daily rate in USD) as per template provided in Annex 2.

Incomplete proposals may not be considered.

Annexes :

For any clarification regarding this assignment please write to brh.gef.procurement@undp.org